arnold



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. ARNOLD. MEANS FOR TRIMMING FABRICS.

No. 249,734. Patented Nov. 22,1881.

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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

S. ARNOLD.

MEANS FOR TRIMMING FABRICS.

No. 249,734. Patented Nov. 22,1881.

TA A (MA m MUM A m4 m 13m A (No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 3.

S. ARNOLD.

MEANS FOR .TRIMMING FABRICS. No. 249,734. Patented Nov. 22,1881.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAT'IERLEE ARNOLD, or TROY, ASSIGNOR TO ANNA M. ARNOLD, on NEW YORK, n.-Y.

MEANS FOR TRIMMING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,734, dated November22, 1881.

Application filed August 11, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SATTERLEE ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forTrimmin g Fabrics and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description -of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

1 This invention relates to meansfor trimming fabrics, especiallyelastic goods, to seaming or sewing edges preparatory to sewing themtogether.

Heretofore it was thought essential to employ a clamping or top platearranged above the fabric to confine it in position on the pinplateduring the process of trimming the goods; but practice in the moreexpeditious modes has disclosed the fact that a clamping or top plate isnot necessary, especially when a rotary cutter is employed as the meansfor trimming the goods.

My invention consists in the combination, with a holding device havingan edge, of a base 0 or bottom plate underlying the holding device, andprovided with a guiding-edge subtending the edge of the holding deviceat a desired dis-' tance for the purpose of trimming the fabric on thesubtended edge of the base or bottom 5 plate.

Myinvention further consists in two holding devices arranged parallel,ornearly so, to each other, with an intervening space for holding thegoods in position and permitting the same to be trimmed to aseaming-edge.

My invention further consists in a rotary cutter witha guide-shoe fortrimming the edges of the fabric.

My invention further consists in the combi- 5 nation of two holdingdevices, arranged parallel to each other, with an intervening spaceforholdingthegoodsinaposition tobetrimmed, and a trimming device.

My invention further consists in a bed-sur- (No model.)

face having a central longitudinal grooveand two holding devices,incombination with arotarycutter provided with'a guiding-shoe to work inthe groove of the bed-surface.

My invention further consists in the novel construction and combinationof parts, as will. be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a representation of aperspective view of the trimmer. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the shoe andtransverse sectional views taken through the lines a: :0 and y y of saidside view. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the trimmer-handle. Fig. 4. is afront view of the lower portion of the trimmerhandle, showing theconcavity and recess for the rotary cutter and shoe. Fig. 5 is a sideview of the arbor, clamping-washers, and rotary cutters. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the guide-rail, pin-plates, and trimmers, showingthe mode of trimming the fabric. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion ofthe guide-rail and the trimmer, showing the relative arrangement. Fig. 8is a plan view of the inner portion of the guide-rail,ou a reducedscale; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the pinplates. 7 5

The letter A (see Figs. 6 and 8) represents a guide-rail, formed on itsupper surface with two depressed surfaces extending the entire length ofthe guide-rail. These depressed surfaces form traveling-ways for theadjustable or movable pin-plates hereinafter described, and are guidedby the "ertical flanges I) b, serving as guiding-walls for thepin-plates in their slidin g movements. These traveling ways (see Fig.8)are made narrower at the outer end than at the inner end, for thepurpose of aiding in drawing the holding devices or pin plates nearertogether in feeding the fabric to the sewing-machine.

Between the depressed surfaces constituting 0 the traveling-ways is agroove or furrow, c, of a greater depth, and of a width to suit a guiding-shoe of a trimmer running parallel with the traveling-ways. The innervertical flanges, b, of the guide-rail serve also as guide-walls 9 5 forthe shoe ot' the trimmer in the forwardmovement of the tool. Theseguide-rails, which are made of any desired length, are provided at theouter end with two small studs or pins (not shown in the drawings) forengaging with the slots 6 in the outer ends of the pin-plates B totemporarily secure the pin-plates in position during the process offastening the fabric to the pin-points and trimming the edges thereof toa sewing-seam.

At or near the upper end of the guide-rail are arranged two pins orstuds, f, (see Fig. 8,) alongside of the outer vertical flanges, b, ofthe pin-plate ways. The office of these studs or pins, owing to thearrangement, is to force positively the pin-plates nearer together, asmoved forward or fed to the sewing-machine, by any suitable means,thereby forming a combined wide and narrow gage. Thus, it will beobserved, this inward movement, or the approach of the pin'platescarrying the trimmed fabric, will cause the trimmed edges of the fabricto be brought closer together to make a fuller seam.

The letter C (see Fig. 1) represents the trimming-tool, havinghorizontal and vertical handles D and E. The frame 0 (see Fig. 3) ismade of cast metal and formed on one of its sides with an arbor-journalbearing, h, and two sockets, 6, arranged opposite each other, for theattachment of the frame F, with its handle E. The frame 0 is also formedon the opposite side, Fig. 4, with a circular conical recess, k, toreceive a circular cutter and protect the same, and a shouldered recessor offset, 1, to receive the guidin g-shoe, h erein after described.

The letter H represents the arbor, (see Fig. 5,) to which is secured atone end the circular trimmer or rotary cutter I, clamped in position bymeans of the conical washers and nut. The other end of the arbor isreduced in size to receive a drive-pulley, which is secured in positionby means of a jam nut engaging with the screw-threads of the arbor. Thearbor carrying the circular trimmer is passed through its hearing, so asto present the beveled side of the trimmeroutward. The pulley K is nowapplied to the otherend and made fast thereon by means of thescrew-threads and jam-nut, which fastenin g also draws the inner washerof the rotary trimmer to its conical seat and the trimmer within therecess of the frame 0.

The letter M represents the guiding-shoe, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) havingits lower edge rounding and formed with two oblong slots,n. The forwardportion of the shoe is inclined, curved, and pointed and formed with ashort longitudinal groove, 1', terminating in a depressioms, fordischarging the fibers from the groove collected therein during theprocess of trimming. This shoe is secured to the base of the frame 0 byarranging a washer or packing-plate in therecess l, and fitting andadjusting the shoe so that the groove thereof will straddle the lowerportion of the cutter and the slots thereof registerwith the holes inthe washer and the frame when itis secured in position by means offastenin g bolts or rivets.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawin gs it will be seen that theforward end of the guide-shoe extends beyond the trimmer and forms anose or plow-point to the shoe, so as to raise the fabric to be trimmedand hold the same in contact with the revolving trimmer for action.

The mode of operation of trimming the fabric to seaming or sewing edgesto form goods of cylindrical shape is as follows: The pin-plates beingproperly arranged on the guide-rail in their respective traveling-ways,one edge of the fabric is placed upon the row of pin-points so as toleave the small projecting edge extending beyond the pin-points and overthe central groove of the guide-rail, in which position the fabric ispressed down upon the pin-points, and the other edge of the fabric ispassed under the guide-rail, and from thence passed over the row ofpin-points, overlapping the other edge on the central groove, in whichposition it is secured to its pin-plate by the pressing device. Theguideshoe of the trimming-tool is now introduced into the furrow of theguiderail, and the cutter, having a high rate of speed through theagency of the driving-pulley and the band, is moved forward by theoperator, so that the forward extended portion of the shoe will slightlyraise the overlapping edges of the fabric and present them to the rotarycutter forthe trimming action. As the fabric is lifted by the forwardportion of the shoe the rotary cutter trims the edge, and the trimmer ismoved forward by the hand of the operator to the end of the fabric, thustrimming both edges of the fabric, ready for sewing together, asindicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. WVhen this operation isaccomplished the trimmer is removed from the guide-rail, leaving thefabric still held'on the pin-points of the pinplates, and the pin-platesare now released from their fastening devices and fed forward with thetrimmed fabric in the guide-rail. A pointed wire now serves to depressthe cut edges into the central furrow of the guide-rail, whereby theragged edges are turned inward from the face of the fabric and hid onthe inside of the garment, the central furrow being formed of such awidth as to properly hold the edges, and the sides of the furrow holdthe edge inwardly or toward the opposite edge, and thus the two edges ofthe fabric are pressed one against the other, and this enables a veryshort bend on a very narrow edge to be made, say, nearly a right angleon one-sixteenth of an inch of edge, and in which position the goods aresewed, and no welt of any appreciable thickness can be perceived or ismade.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the inner edgeof the pin-plate having the outline of the seam to be formed abutsagainst a guiding-edge of the guide-rail, which serves as a bed orbottom plate, so as to subtend the edge of the pin-plates at a de sireddistance for the purpose of trimming the fabric on the subtended edge ofthe guide-rail, supporting the subtending edge of the knitcloth fabricand preventing it from curling out of position.

The side frame, F, serves to hold the driving band or belt in contactwith the pulley, to prevent displacement of the belt from same.

I reserve the right to change the construction of the parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as herein described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a holding device having an edge conformingto-the seam, of a guide-rail or bottom plate underlying the holdingdevice, and provided with a guide-edge subtending the edge of theholding device at.

a desired distance for the purpose of trimming the fabric on thesubtended edge of the guiderail orbottom plate, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, substantially as described, of two pin-platesarranged parallel, or nearly so, in the same horizontal plane to eachother, with an intervening space for bolding the goods in position to betrimmed to a seaming or sewing edge.

3. The combination, substantially as described, of two pin platesarranged parallel, or nearly so, in the same horizontal plane to eachother, with an intervening space for holding the goods in position to betrimmed, and a trimming device.

4. In combination with a bed-surface or a guide rail having a centrallylongitudinal groove with two parallel rows of pin-points, a rotarycutter provided with pointed guideshoes to work in the centrallylongitudinal groove of the bed-surface or guide-rail, substantially asdescribed. 7

5. The combination, with a guide-rail having two parallel traveling-waysand a centrally longitudinal groove or furrow of a greater depth, of thepin-plates arranged in the parallel traveling-ways of the guide-rail,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with two pin-plates, of a guide-rail having two wayswith means, substantially as described, to cause the pin-plates toapproach each other, as set forth.

7. A trimming device composed, essentially, of a rotary cutter and aguide-shoe with a curved base, the latter supporting and guiding therotary cutter, and also supporting the fabric closely on one or bothsides of the edge of the cutter, substantially as described.

8. In a rotary trimming-tool adapted to be driven by a pulley and belt,aguide-shoe with a curved narrow base and a longitudinal slot terminatingin a discharge recess or opening, and a frame for retaining the belt incontact with the pulley, substantially as described.

9. In a trimming-tool having a rotary cutter, a guide shoe formed with alongitudinal slot terminating in aconcave recess, 8, for the purposestated.

10. As a new article of manufacture, the trimming device consisting ofthe frame 0, ar-

bor H, cutter I, driving-pulley K, and guideshoe N, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

11. A guide-rail formed with two parallel, orv nearly so, travelingways, and a central groove of a greater depth, substantially asdescribed.

12. A guide-rail having combined wide and narrow traveling gageways, andprovided at the upper or inner end with pine or their equivalents,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The means hereinbefore described for trimming fabrics to seaming orsewing edges, consisting of a guide-rail formed with travelingways,central groove or furrow, the pin-plates arranged in the traveling waysof the guiderail, and a rotary trimming device, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SATTERLEE ARNOLD.

lVitnesses:

W. W. WILLARD, J OHN W. ScoFInLn.

